A great innovator and distinctly talented producer of early rock and roll, it is a disappointing fact that Phil Spector became something of a monster in his personal relationships over the years. In spite of that reality, some of the finest musicians of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s worked with him, creating some of their best, most memorable records. In honor of everything they accomplished (and endured), I would like to highlight some of the brightest among them.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Here's 7 of my favorites from Phil Spector.
Week 27: PHIL SPECTOR
#183/420 - Ike & Tina Turner, “River Deep – Mountain High”
Few songs showcase Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” better than this one by Tina Turner. Her singing, for instance, definitely hits you like a wall, and what a chorus behind her. I really enjoy the full sound of records like these produced by Spector, which really beg to be heard on big speakers. Though I can never seem to get a sound out of any speakers as big as the one that seems to truly be contained in this song.
It is surprising to me that this sound has not been imitated more, but perhaps that comes with the territory when recording with the inimitable Tina Turner. A robust and hefty song packed with power for the ages.
Also, interesting to note, the cover art for this single was done by actor Dennis Hopper, who creeps his way into this list yet again!
#184/420 - The Crystals, “He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)”
A rather haunting song that opens a window into the mindset of an abuse victim who views the abuse she takes in retaliation for cheating on her partner as a sign of love. It’s a work of art, though one of very dark subject matter.
Spector’s production lends itself to the ominous quality of the song with the echoey chorus behind The Crystals, who sing with a zombified disengagement that captures the heartbreaking acceptance of violence almost too well.
The song was written by Carole King and husband Gerry Goffin after a similar account from their babysitter who explained being beaten by her boyfriend as a sign of love. We often wonder why others/loved ones tolerate abuse when it crosses into their lives and this is song is a testament to one such unenviable frame of mind. May all abuse victims have the strength of mind to overcome these mental traps we can fall into.
#185/420 - Sonny Charles and the Checkmates, Ltd., “Black Pearl”
Not all cities’ radio stations are created equally, and when I lived in Chicago in 2007/08, they were definitely among the best of any city I’ve resided in. One such favorite played a great lesser-known selection of 50s and 60s music which is where I first heard this gem, or rather, “pearl”, of a song. Another fantastic employment of the “Wall of Sound” by Spector, this one by Sonny Charles and the Checkmates is a fine one to play at loud volume. I love the texture of the singing, especially right when they sing “Black Pearl”, just slides like butter.
An excellent production and sound that I’ve kept in my music collection and play rotation ever since.
“You’re my Miss America, and I love you-oo-oo-ou!” The ending is awesome too, especially when he slides into falsetto at the end of, “And I want you, want you for my-self!” Check out the Checkmates.
#186/420 - The Righteous Brothers, “Unchained Melody”
Another coming together of two big sounds, this time it’s Phil Spector producing The Righteous Brothers. While this wasn’t meant to be one of their hits, it gained radio play over its A-side counterpart and remains one of their best known and most popular songs to this day.
This is one I have always enjoyed seeing people attempt at karaoke. Takes some balls to tackle such difficult vocals. Rarely does it work out for the would-be singers, but whenever it does, it is certainly fun to witness.
Fantastic vocals here for a powerhouse of a ballad.
#187/420 - The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel”
Written for The Shirelles, recorded by The Blossoms, and credited to The Crystals, this song fell victim to wonky mis-credits of the 1960s, but it is my favorite from The Crystals…. despite being by The Blossoms. It’s a fun song, I enjoy the twinkling piano and shuffling percussion and the real lead singer, Darlene Love, does a fantastic job.
It’s really an emblematic song of the era with its theme and instrumentation put together finely by Phil Spector, easy to picture playing from someone’s classic car at one of those old hamburger joints you see in the movies. (I’m not old enough.)
Relatably, I have often been in the position of the “rebel” in various contexts that women in my life have fallen for, but unfortunately none so much as the protagonist of this song (written by a wishful thinking man, of course) and parents and “better judgment” have always won out against me. Maybe one day someone will be “standing right by [my] side when they say” stupid things about me again. Like, really, some of the fears that get projected onto me are just annoying and untrue but whatever. REBEL LIFE.
#188/420 - The Ronettes, “Be My Baby”
The Supremes may have been the ultimate girl group from the 60s, but The Ronettes had the ultimate song. Definitely one of the best, if not the very best, productions from Phil Spector. It is an awful shame to now know of the frightening relationship he had with lead singer, Ronnie Spector, who would later become his wife, but fortunately today she is happily remarried and Phil is behind bars. Personal lives aside, this remains an amazing record by many talented people (including Sonny and Cher providing additional backing vocals) and has popped up as representative of its time and era in numerous film soundtracks in decades since, most famously in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, as well as in Mean Streets, Dirty Dancing, and “The Wonder Years”, among others.
It’s a solid piece of music. Simple, likable, relatable words with crisp, rhythmic vocals, heart-pounding drums, airy guitar, and hip-moving, samba-like percussive touches. Considered great for great reasons, it’s one that can still grab you to this day and remains a personal favorite.
#189/420 - The Teddy Bears, “To Know Him Is to Love Him”
Though the hits to follow were abundant, my favorite Phil Spector production is the very first of these hits, and one of the few were he was a member of the band he was producing, here — The Teddy Bears. Carol Connors is the singer and she gives some of my favorite vocals ever on this song. The bridge in particular is something I can and have listened to again and again, it’s that good. Haunting, piercing, entrancing, and smooth as can be, it’s a wonder of sound… a wall of sound, even, if you will.
The backing vocals are also just right and the texture and rhythm of the song make everything all the better. It’s a song of calm appreciation and yet flips into tragic yearning, longing, all incapsulated in such a short and simple song.
It was the beginning of some of the most innovative and distinct recordings of the decades to follow this 1950s release. Phil Spector is a reminder that some humans can be geniuses in some aspects, and absolute villains in other ways. Perhaps the mark he left on the music industry will never be as deep as the marks he left on his ex-wife and the families of the victims of his deranged or out of control behavior at times in his life. For that it is a great shame and dark cloud over a myriad of remarkable music, but it’s no fault of the many artists who poured their hearts out on these records and in the case of Phil Spector, sometimes accomplishments and contributions in art transcend the human casings that brought them to consciousness.
Next week finishes off Beatles Without The Beatles month with someone else whose solo career benefited from Spector’s productions early on, being behind some of his earliest hits past The Beatles. I consider him my favorite singer of all time and one of my very favorite musicians who has inspired me musically perhaps more than any other artist. Flawed as well, but way ahead of his time in so many significant ways, it should come as no surprise, it’s John Lennon.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Week 2: The Jackson 5/The Jacksons
Week 3: A Tribe Called Quest
Week 4: Weezer
Week 5: Bob Dylan
Week 6: Led Zeppelin
Week 7: 2Pac/Makaveli
Week 8: Billy Joel
Week 9: Electric Light Orchestra
Week 10: Elvis Presley
Week 11: Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
Week 12: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Week 13: Nirvana
Week 14: The Doors
Week 15: The Rolling Stones
Week 16: Gnarls Barkley
Week 17: Gábor Szabó
Week 18: Galaxie 500
Week 19: Simon & Garfunkel
Week 20: Gorillaz
Week 21: Ennio Morricone
Week 22: The Moody Blues
Week 23: Koji Kondo
Week 24: Rob Zombie/White Zombie
Week 25: Paul McCartney/Wings
Week 26: George Harrison
View the full list of "420 Songs" here: https://tinyurl.com/y8fboudu (Google spreadsheet link)